Overview & Reviews

Swedish-born Volvo has long been a forerunner in safety research, and its vehicles have the crash test scores to prove it. These days, the brand has improved its offerings by crafting vehicles that also offer generous amounts of style and performance.

In Latin, the word "Volvo" means "I roll." Volvo cars have been rolling ever since 1927, when the first vehicle (nicknamed "Jakob") was produced in the city of Gothenburg. The company's founders, Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson, put an emphasis on safety, and that dictum still holds true today. The Jakob was joined by the six-cylinder PV651 in 1929, and by 1931, more than 10,000 Volvos had been produced.

Postwar, Volvo unveiled one of its biggest successes, the PV444. By the 1950s, Volvo had begun exporting cars to the U.S., and the PV444 — with its compact size and stylish looks — helped the manufacturer quickly make a name for itself in its new territory. The decade also saw Volvo building on its reputation for being a vanguard in the area of safety; it was the first manufacturer to make vehicles with a three-point safety belt.

The 1960s saw the launch of a new Volvo sports car, the P1800. The car's sculpted good looks helped earn it celebrity status when it was featured on the long-running TV series The Saint, with Roger Moore behind the wheel. Safety features grew more advanced during this decade and Volvo was again at the forefront of the action, offering features such as padded dashboards and energy-resistant crumple zones in front and rear.

Volvo distinguished itself as the exclusive home to a number of valuable new technologies during the 1970s. If you were looking for safety features such as childproof locks, collapsible steering columns and rear-facing child seats during this decade, you'd only find them in a Volvo.

Like BMWs and Saabs, Volvos became an American "yuppie" favorite during the 1980s. The company proved its technological know-how wasn't just limited to safety when it rolled out its first turbocharged car. By the end of the decade, Volvo had unveiled new models like the front-wheel-drive 480 hatchback (for Europe) and the Italian-designed 780 coupe.

In the early '90s, Volvo launched the 850. The car was Volvo's first front-wheel-drive executive car, and teamed performance with the company's trademark attention to safety. The decade also saw Volvo rolling out new models like the S40 and C70 — cars that updated the automaker's boxy image with a more rounded, sculpted aesthetic. The company became part of the Ford family when it was acquired by the automaker in 1998. Ford helped Volvo financially, while Volvo provided Ford with new safety technologies and car platforms. Due to Ford's financial troubles during the American recession, however, Ford sold Volvo to the Chinese automaker Geely in 2010.

It's unknown how Volvo's new owner will guide the brand long term, but chances are Volvo will continue to offer sedans, coupes and SUVs known for their combination of safety and driving excitement.

User Reviews:

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  Over 100,000 Miles - 2000 Volvo C70
  By C70 Lover - November 27 - 1:03 pm

  I bought this car used in 2002 with 24000 miles. At the end of 2004 I have 120,000 miles. The only problem I have had with this car is the the electronic throttle has gone bad twice. Other than that I still love this car. I dont really have any complaints other than the electronic throttle.

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  Cool Wagon - 2015 Volvo V60
  By jimbonada - November 25 - 11:50 pm

  Picked up the 2015 V60 in October 2014 after turning in a 2012 T5 sedan. Major difference is handling. Steering is crisper and stays centered where as T5 tended to float. Also the engine is phenomenal. Im getting 28 mpg mixed use vs 23 mpg in old T5 without a sacrifice in horsepower. What attracted me to this car is that it does not look like a wagon but more like a crossover without the height and extra cost. There is one caveat however. My car came with a start/stop feature. Ive gotten used to it but for some they may not. Its the feeling of an engine stalling and starting up again. You can however manually shut it off. My wife hates it. I leave on just to annoy her. LOL!

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  Great Car! Great Pricing - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Jammer - November 22 - 2:00 am

  Even though I am a large person I have found this car to have great seating and leg room. Peppy, Fun and luxurious are words that describe how it feels to drive this awesome compact sedan. I never would have guessed a Volvo could be so much fun to drive!

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  Great drive - 2004 Volvo V70
  By Farbton - November 22 - 2:00 am

  Excellent car. Previous car was Passat Wagon. Although we like manual transmission of Passat (manual not available with higher output engine) the 2.5t is fun to drive and has a comfortable ride on the highway as well. Plenty of room with 3rd row seat.

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  Comfortable Highway Cruiser - 2004 Volvo V70
  By volvo-driver - November 22 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle is very comfortable for highway driving. The seats are superb. There is plenty of room and I get about 26 mpg. The engine gives acceptable performance in the city and highway. The steering is very accurate and nicely weighted for the highway. In the city the steering feels a bit sluggish. Highway handling is very nice. I the city its a little soft. The brakes, although they work well in a hard stop, make it difficult to modulate smoothly to a stop.

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  Our Family Volvo - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Danny Rey - November 22 - 2:00 am

  The car is a little tight for my 6 2" height. Next to impossible to reach into the back seat and deal with baby in a middle car seat facing backwards. This is due to the head rest. You feel well protected on a cold rainy day. Car is tight and solid on the road. Gives me a peace of mind knowing that my wife and two babies are in what I feel is one of the safest vehicles on the road.

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  Too many problems - 2006 Volvo XC70
  By bridget7 - November 21 - 3:14 am

  My XC70 has 112,000 miles on it, and is as expensive to run as my Audi was, without the luxury. Each required service, basically a glorified oil change, runs anywhere from $250 to over $500. The AWD quit working last winter because of worn-out teeth on a coupler that attaches to the drive train, according to the mechanic a common problem. They want anywhere from $1000 to $3000 to fix it, depending on "unforeseen problems." Also, the condenser has a leak so the a/c quit working this summer. They want another $1000 to replace that. The radio has a short, which isnt repairable, only replaceable for around $800, and after market stereos cant be installed on Volvos due to a proprietary design.

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  Amost there - 1998 Volvo S70
  By Hawaii - November 20 - 10:00 am

  I chose this car over a BMW 5 series for the price to value ratio. The 236 HP from the turbo-intercooled motor works well except for a sometimes hair- raising turbo lag. More than once my butt was pinching the T5s comfortable, power and heated leather seat when I had to merge into traffic from a dead stop. There have been some minor disappointments: poor button visibility behind the steering column, driving lights that do absolutely nothing, poor rear visibilty when backing up into a parking stall. But overall its minor stuff. I feel my T5 was a deal.

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  Ford, stop messing around with VOLVO - 2001 Volvo V70
  By yolanda - November 16 - 2:00 am

  The car is pretty reliable only in Dec 03 and Jan 04 I was left stranded and it was due to the battery, somehow I needed a new one. The quality of the interior of the car could be much better. The carpeting in the front of the car is always stiking out, it was like this since day one, I complained, but to no avail. The outside driver mirror shakes when you hit 50 plus, that just got fixed this week after many trips to the dealer. Other than cosmetics I would have to say that it is reliable.

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  I love this car! - 2000 Volvo C70
  By eggmusic - November 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car because it is unique and is one of the most beautiful cars on the road. I have had no significant problems with it and the few minor ones (window switch, lamps) were fixed promptly by the dealer.